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American space program is a shadow of what it once was. Their history is full of daring missions and extraordinary achievements. I wish they would engage in a s

American space program is a shadow of what it once was. Their history is full of daring missions and extraordinary achievements. I wish they would engage in a space race rather than constant illegal, brutal, destructive and absolutely unnecessary war. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_the_United_States#21st-century_wars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_the_Uni...

dotnet00 3y ago
It isn't really the gotcha you think it is when you see Falcon 9s flying and landing multiple times a week, the most advanced conventional rocket engines ever being mass produced, two scifi-esque lunar landers under serious development and all the other things. The American space program is far and away the world leader by a huge margin, while almost 2 decades ago things were dicey, the current Ameircan space program is definitely befitting of its glory during the mid/late 19th century.
- cpursley 3y ago
  I agree with everything you wrote. But you missed my point - America has an incredible space program despite their wars. If wars were the cause of space program degradation, Russia would actually be ahead.
  - dotnet00 3y ago
    Ah, yeah not much arguing with that.
  - goku12 3y ago
    I'm not a supporter of war mongering by any country. And what I hoped for Russia is what I hope of the entire world. But the assumption that the impact of their war efforts on their economy are similar is completely wrong. Russian economy is in shambles due to it while America goes on as usual.
    - cpursley 3y ago
      This is objectively false, their economy is actually experiencing growth which has been widely reported: - https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2023/04/11/world-economic-outlook-april-2023 https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2023/04/11/wo... - https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD?locations=RU https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD?locat... - https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/double-digit-growth-real-wages-retail-sales-russias-unemployment-hits-record-low-2023-08-02/ https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/double-digit-growth-r...

dotnet00 3y ago

It isn't really the gotcha you think it is when you see Falcon 9s flying and landing multiple times a week, the most advanced conventional rocket engines ever being mass produced, two scifi-esque lunar landers under serious development and all the other things. The American space program is far and away the world leader by a huge margin, while almost 2 decades ago things were dicey, the current Ameircan space program is definitely befitting of its glory during the mid/late 19th century.

cpursley 3y ago
I agree with everything you wrote. But you missed my point - America has an incredible space program despite their wars. If wars were the cause of space program degradation, Russia would actually be ahead.
- dotnet00 3y ago
  Ah, yeah not much arguing with that.
- goku12 3y ago
  I'm not a supporter of war mongering by any country. And what I hoped for Russia is what I hope of the entire world. But the assumption that the impact of their war efforts on their economy are similar is completely wrong. Russian economy is in shambles due to it while America goes on as usual.
  - cpursley 3y ago
    This is objectively false, their economy is actually experiencing growth which has been widely reported: - https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2023/04/11/world-economic-outlook-april-2023 https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2023/04/11/wo... - https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD?locations=RU https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD?locat... - https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/double-digit-growth-real-wages-retail-sales-russias-unemployment-hits-record-low-2023-08-02/ https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/double-digit-growth-r...